Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra Holiday Pops concerts Dec. 9-10

Monday

Dec 4, 2017 at 10:00 AM

As the saying goes, what’s old is new again. And fun.

Scott C. Smith scsmith@wickedlocal.com @scsmithreporter

As the saying goes, what’s old is new again.

When Steven Karidoyanes took over the baton with The Phil 20-some years ago, the orchestra’s holiday concert was all about performing the “full-blown Nutcracker ballet with a hundred kids,” he said. “They performed ‘The Nutcracker’ in the arena, as theater in the round.”

Boston Ballet had a school on the South Shore back then, and those children performed the program with the Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra in Memorial Hall up until Karidoyanes came on board, when the school closed and the program ended. This season, the conductor’s 24th with The Phil, marks the 125th anniversary of “The Nutcracker’s” premier, so back it comes into the lineup.

“The past two years the Holiday Pops concerts had very big components,” Karidoyanes said. “Last year we did a Dickens project I wrote, with Neil McGarry performing with the Children’s Chorus the second stave of ‘A Christmas Carol.’ Two years ago, we accompanied the 26-minute animated film ‘The Snowman.’ Both were wonderful experiences. This year I wanted to return to the music that makes people happy to hear it.”

And this year, that means a return to “The Nutcracker.”

This will be a two-part presentation. “We’re going to play authentic Tchaikovsky ‘Nutcracker’ music,” Karidoyanes said, “and then to show how resilient we are we’re going to perform a medley of ‘Nutcracker’ tunes performed by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.”

Some of that mega rock opera band’s string players, Karidoyanes noted, also play with The Phil. Visit www.trans-siberian.com for more insight into this holiday-season smash performer.

As you can see, Karidoyanes wants to focus on fun. In fact, “This concert is a celebration of family, community and fun,” he said. “If they don’t have fun at a Pops concert, people won’t come back. So fun is important, along with a celebration of family.”

Which is why this concert is, as the conductor says, “a mix of novel and new.”

Another highlight of this year’s popular holiday show is the return of tenor Matthew Anderson, who has wowed Phil fans previously.

“He’s one of the most versatile and extraordinary talents I know in the area,” Karidoyanes said. “He loves coming to Plymouth. He’s equally at home singing really high art music, and he’s well known around the country for singing Handel’s ‘Messiah.’ He also sings ‘Carousel’ with the Boston Pops.”

Anderson will perform “Ev’ry Valley,” from “Messiah,” and “The Christmas Song.” He will also perform the Josh Groban hit “You Raise Me Up” and “God Bless Us Everyone” (as sung by Andrea Bocelli in the Disney film “A Christmas Carol”) along with the Plymouth Community Intermediate School Sixth Grade Treble Chorus, directed by Jessica Fuller.

“’You Raise Me Up’ is such an inspiring anthem,” Karidoyanes said. “Matt, with his extraordinary voice, along with the PCIS Sixth Grade Chorus – it’s going to be incredible. I found a YouTube video of Josh Groban singing it with an African children’s choir. I rewrote it for our children to sing. It’s so inspirational!”

A trivia moment: Karidoyanes described the motivation of Mel Torme and Bob Wells to write “The Christmas Song” as a way to keep cool on a hot summer day. Somehow writing “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire” and “Jack Frost nipping at your nose” had the effect of cooling them off.

You can get a warm taste of Anderson singing with The Phil here: www.plymouthphil.org/userfiles/Gesu%20Bambino%2010Dec2016.mp3.

The Phil will also perform two romping holiday medleys, “Christmas on Broadway” and “Christmas at the Movies.”

Karidoyanes explained his programming approach for this Holiday Pops concert as simply wanting the audience to feel the holiday season.

“Too many others try to do cutesy,” he said. “All the stuff we perform needs to leave people satisfied that they heard the genuine article. I spend a lot of time preparing for my concert so people will feel substance. I enjoy setting up a sonic experience. There needs to be joy, there needs to be wonder, there should be sadness leaning toward the hopeful.”

And hopefully this year’s guest conductors will lead the orchestra successfully in “Sleigh Ride.” The Leroy Anderson piece is conducted annually by the high bidder in The Phil’s annual Gala fundraiser. And the popular piece also features a guest whipper. A special treat for folks who attend the Sunday concert will be enjoying Karidoyanes’ wife, Amy, as whipper. She was asked by the successful bidder of that to fill in. (This reporter was asked to fill in as guest conductor last year by winning bidder Hollis Greene – the orchestra survived the experience.)

Amy should do just fine, her husband says. “She gets lots of experience cracking the whip at home!”

The Phil’s Holiday Pops concert would not be complete without its singalong, and especially without its traditional “March of the Toys.” Children will be invited to join Santa Claus during his visit to march through Memorial Hall as the orchestra performs the piece made famous in the operetta “Babes in Toyland.” The children may bring along unwrapped presents to place into a giant gift box to donate to other children who might otherwise have a bare Christmas. The Phil has supported the Children’s Holiday Fund for many years. The fund was originally operated by this newspaper company. It’s now in its 11th year being run by the Plymouth Area Coalition for the Homeless.

Tickets to the three Holiday Pops concerts can be purchased at The Phil’s website www.plymouthphil.org or by calling the office at 508-746-8008. Concerts will be performed at Memorial Hall, on Court Street in downtown Plymouth, at 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 9-10, and at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

McGarry is appearing in his fifth season of a one-person performance of “A Christmas Carol.” He will perform his last show of this run in Plymouth on Dec. 22 at the Plymouth Center for the Arts, 11 North St. Tickets are available by calling 508-746-7222; remaining tickets will be available at the door.

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